Indexed OCR Text

Saviours of
Islamic Spirit
SHAYKH ABŪ 'L-HASAN ALĪ NADWĪ
Revised & Edited by
ABDUR-RAHMAN
IBN YUSUF MANGERA
Hasan al-Başrī
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
‘Abd al-Qādir al-Jīlānī
'Umar ibn "Abd al- Azīz
Abū '1-Hasan al-Ash arī
'Izz al-Dīn ibn 'Abd al-Salām
Abu al-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzī
Abū Hāmid al-Ghazālī
Șalāķ al-Din al-Ayyūbī
Nūr al-Dīn Zangī
The Tartars
White Thread
PRESS

◆

Saviours of
Islamic Spirit

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace
and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad,
Mercy to the Worlds.

Saviours of
Islamic Spirit
SHAYKH ABŪ 'L-HASAN ALI NADWĪ
Volume 1
Revised & Edited by
ABDUR - RAHMAN
IBN YUSUF MANGERA
White Thread
PRESS

@ White Thread Press 1436/2015
First Revised Edition November 2015
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out the prior permission of the copyright owner.
ISBN 978-1-93-376413-9
Published by
White Thread Press
White Thread Limited
London - Santa Barbara
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Nadvi, Abulhasan 'Ali, 1913-1999, author.
[Tari_k_h-i da'vat o 'azimat. English]
Saviours of Islamic spirit / Shaykh Abu 'l-Hasan 'Ali Nadwi ; revised & edited by
Abdur-Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera.
volumes cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-933764-13-9 (softcover : alk. paper)
1. Muslims-Biography. 2. Islam-History. I. Ibn Yusuf, Abdur-Rahman, 1974-
editor. II. Title.
BP70.N31713 2015
297.092'2-dc23
[B]
2015033573
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book
is also available from the British Library.
@ Printed and bound in the United States of America on premium acid-free
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They wish to put His light out with
their mouths. But He will perfect His light,
even though the disbelievers hate it.
The Glorious Qur'an 61:8
Islam has a staying power above that of all other
religious faiths. Its scripture remains intact and
uncorrupted in the original language of its revela-
tion over fourteen centuries ago. Its Prophet is loved
and revered as much as he ever was. Its way of life is
faithfully adhered to by many. It is the religion of at
least a fifth of the world's population. It is an active
mechanism that binds a diverse multi-ethnic
community across the world as one Umma.
Despair ought never to be a quality of the believer.
A Qur'anic Maxim.

TRANSLITERATION KEY
+ (1) ' (A slight catch in the breath. It
is also used to indicate where the
hamza has been dropped from
the beginning of a word.)
1
a, ā
ب
t
ث
th (Should be pronounced as the
th in thin or thirst.)
ج
j
h (Tensely breathed h sound.)
خ
kh (Pronounced like the ch in
Scottish loch with the mouth
hollowed to produce a full
sound.)
d
3
ذ
dh (Should be pronounced as
the th in this or that.)
r
Z
س
S
ش
sh
+ $ (A heavy s pronounced far
back in the mouth with the
mouth hollowed to produce a
full sound.)
d (A heavy d/dh pronounced
far back in the mouth with the
mouth hollowed to produce a
full sound.)
6
ț (A heavy t pronounced far back
in the mouth with the mouth
hollowed to produce a full
sound.)
b ? (A heavy dh pronounced far
back in the mouth with the
mouth hollowed to produce a
full sound.)
ع
",'a, 'i, 'u (Pronounced from the
throat.)
غ
gh (Pronounced like a throaty
French r with the mouth
hollowed to produce a full
sound.)
ف
f
ق
q (A guttural q sound with the
mouth hollowed to produce a
full sound.)
k
ل
1
m
ن
n
9
w, ū, u.
0
h
ي
y, ī, i
Şalla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam-
used following the mention of the
Messenger Muhammad, translated
as, "May Allah bless him and give
him peace."
4
'Alayhi 'I-salam-used following
the mention of a prophet or
messenger of Allah, translated as,
"Upon him be peace."
Radiya 'Llahu 'anhu-used
following the mention of a
Companion of the Messenger
, translated as, "May Allah be
pleased with him."
Radiya 'Llahu 'anhā-used
following the mention of a female
Companion of the Messenger
, translated as, "May Allah be
pleased with her."
Rahimahu 'Llah-used following
the mention of a scholar or pious
individual, translated as, "May
Allāh have mercy on him."
Rahimahumu 'Llah-used
following the mention of more than
one scholar or pious individual,
translated as, "May Allah have
mercy on them."
8

Contents
Introduction
Preface
13
29
1.
'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Azīz
35
Revival Efforts of the First Century 35; Religious Teachers of the
Umayyad Period 36; Political Revolution 37; Accession of 'Umar ibn
Abd al-Azīz 37; Character of 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz 39; Solicitude
for Moral Reformation 42; Compilation of Hadiths 43; Defender of
Faith 44; Propagation of Islam 49; Financial Reforms 50; 'Umar ibn
'Abd al-Azīz's Death 51
2.
Hasan al-Başrī
53
Decline of Faith and Rise of Moral Decadence 53; Endeavors to Com-
bat Evil 54; Capabilities of Hasan al-Basrī 54; Sermons of Hasan al-
Basrī 56; Fearlessness 59; Hypocrites 60; Indication of Hypocrisy
61; Death of Hasan al-Basri 62; Revolts against Tyranny 63
3.
The Hadith Masters & Jurists
65
The Abbasids 65; Some Preachers of Baghdad 66; Two Urgent Prob-
lems 67; Compilation of Hadith 69; Diligence of the Hadith Masters
69; Biographical Evaluation 70; Trustworthiness of Hadith Masters
71; Retentive Memory of Hadith Masters 72; Popular Enthusiasm
73; The Six Authentic Collections (Șihah Sitta) 73; Compilation of
Jurisprudence 74; The Four Jurists of Islam 74; Disciples of the Four
Jurists 75; Benefits of Jurisprudence 76
4.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal
77
Metaphysics 77; Mu'tazilism 78; Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal 79; Dis-
pute over the Createdness of the Qur'an 86; Calamity Befalls Ahmad
87; Ahmad's Account of His Sufferings 88; Steadfastness of Ahmad
ibn Hanbal 90; Achievements of Ahmad ibn Hanbal 90
a
9

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT
93
5.
Abū 'l-Hasan al-Ash'arī
The Crisis of Mu'tazilism 93; The Man Demanded by the Faith
94; Imam Abu 'l-Hasan al-Ash arī 94; Ash'arī's Zeal to Propagate and
Establish the Truth 95; The Achievements of Ash arī 96; The Middle
Course of Ash'arī 97; Ash'arī's Works 100; Profound Knowledge and
Piety 101; Abū Manșūr al-Maturīdī 101; Later Ash arīs 102
6.
Decline of Theology & Ascendency of Hellenistic Philosophy
Philosophic and Esoteric Schools 105; Popularity of Hellenistic Phi-
losophy 106; Arab Philosophers 106; The Brethren of Purity (Ikhwan
al-Șafā') 107; The Mu'tazilīs and Philosophers 107; The Bāținīs (Eso-
terics) 108; Esoteric and Exoteric Interpretations of the Scripture
109; The Traitors of Islam 111
105
7.
Abū Hāmid al-Ghazālī
115
Ghazāli's Intellectual Crisis 116; From Seclusion to Public Life
121; Ghazāli's Revival Efforts 123; Encounters with Philoso-
phy 123; Effect of Tahafut al-Falasifa 126; Attack on the Bāținīs
126; Ghazalī's Social Critique and the Ihya' 126; Ghazali's Critique
of Society 128; The Religious Scholars 129; Critique of the Rul-
ers and Kings 135; Other Classes of Muslim Society 139; Purpose
of the Ihya' 142; Ethical Philosophy of Ghazalī 143; Yearning for
Honor 144; Introspection and Self-Critique 148; Critics of the Ihya'
152; Ghazālī and Theology ('Ilm al-Kalām) 153; Ghazāli's Refusal to
Return to Baghdad 155; Ghazali's Death 157; Two Outstanding Qual-
ities of Ghazalī 158; Impact of Ghazalī 160; Reformers after Ghazāli
160; The Two Preachers of Baghdad 162
8.
"Abd al-Qadir al-Jīlānī
163
Popular Enthusiasm 163; Moral Excellence 164; Reassurance to the
Dejected 165; Teaching and Propagation Work 166; Certitude of
Knowledge 167; Trust in Allah 168; Love of Humanity 169; The
Times of 'Abd al-Qadir 169; Sermons of 'Abd al-Qadir 171; Oneness
of the Divine Being 171; Refuge of the Brokenhearted 174; Worldly
Pleasures 175; Critique of the Kings 176; Concern for Moral Recti-
tude 177; Reform and Renovation 178; 'Abd al-Qadir's Influence
180; His Death 181
10

Contents
183
9.
Abū 'l-Faraj Ibn al-Jawzī
Early Life 183; Passion for Hadith 184; Prolific Writings of Ibn
al-Jawzī 184; Piety and Inclination to Worship 184; Profile and Char-
acter 186; Lofty Aspiration and Encyclopedic Knowledge 186; Pop-
ular Enthusiasm 188; Critical Literary Endeavors 189; Critique of
Scholars and Administrators 189; Sayd al-Khatir (Captured Thoughts)
193; Dialogue with the Self 195; Importance of Studying the Lives
of the Pious Predecessors 198; Writing the Biographies of the Righ-
teous 199; Importance of Studying History 199; Historical Writings
201; Oratory of Ibn al-Jawzī 201; Death 202
10.
Nur al-Dīn Zangī & Salah al-Din al-Ayyūbī
203
The Crusaders 203; Atabek 'Imad al-Din Zangī 205; Al-Malik al-Ādil
Nur al-Dīn Zangī 206; Character of Nur al-Din 207; Unflinching
Faith 209
SULTAN ȘALĀH AL-DIN AL-AYYŪBĪ
210
Transformation of His Life 211; Enthusiasm for Jihad 211; Conclusive
Battle of Hattin 212; Religious Ardor of the Sultan 213; Conquest of
Jerusalem 214; Benevolence of Salah al-Din 214; The Third Crusade
216; Negotiations of Peace 216; Death of Salah al-Din 218; The Saint-
ly Sultan 219; Character of Salah al-Din 220; Courage and Fortitude
222; Knowledge and Scholarship 224; Collapse of the Fatimids 224
11. 'Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salām
229
Scholarship of 'Izz al-Din 229; Righteousness of 'Izz al-Din
230; Courage of 'Izz al-Din before the Ruler of Syria 232; 'Izz al-Din
in Egypt 234; Fearlessness of 'Izz al-Din 234; Jihad with the Crusaders
235; Auctioning the State Dignitaries 236; 'Izz al-Din and the Kings
of Egypt 237; Sublime Character 238; Enjoining Virtue and Forbid-
ding Evil 238; Writings of 'Izz al-Din 240; 'Izz al-Din's Death 240
12. The Tartars: The Scourge of God
243
Causes of the Tartar Invasion 243; Khwarizm Shah's Folly 250; The
Tartar Invasion 251; Sack of Baghdad 254; Mongol Conversion 258
Bibliography
269
Index
275
11

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Introduction
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH Most Gracious Most Merciful. All praise is to Allah
Almighty, through whose subtle power acts come to be, through whose
benevolence and generosity hopes are achieved, through whose decree events
occur, by whose will states change; and to Him is our return and with Him
is the final abode. Glorified is He, the enduring without end, transcendent
of place and movement, knower of the unseen and the seen. We praise Him
for the bounties and gifts He has poured on us, praise that is not outweighed
by mountains, to the amount of the heavens and the earth, and perpetually
for all time. We invoke blessings and peace on His Messenger, the Prophet
of Mercy, our Ultimate Benefactor, Muhammad son of 'Abdullah, possessor
of elegance, beauty, knowledge, and perfection. May Allah bless him, the
angels, the prophets, their pure descendants, and the family of Muhammad,
his companions, and those who have followed him in excellence. May He
forgive us our trespasses and gather us in the company of the righteous, and
grant us adherence to the prophetic path so long as we live.
Throughout history, the Umma has faced many challenges, with periods
of immense greatness, as well as stagnation and upheaval. It has faced count-
less attacks, in which enemy forces conspired to bring about its destruction
and corrupt it from within. Its cities have been razed to the ground, its Deity
accused of violence, its scripture misunderstood, its prophet scorned, its his-
tory deplored, its heritage maligned, its community condemned, its scholars
slain, its activists persecuted, its well-wishers silenced, its teachings distorted.
It has suffered from internal assault. Many of its own followers have brought
it into disrepute, misinterpreted its teachings, misapplied its force, and com-
mitted injustices in its name, thereby contributing to the environment of
Islamophobia and further invigorating those who seek to annihilate it.
History has recorded this oscillation in detail, and any avid reader of his-
tory would not be surprised to see the cycle in motion yet again.
13

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT
Despite being taken many times to the brink of destruction, Islam has
always re-emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Islam has a staying power
above that of all other religious faiths. Its scripture remains intact and
uncorrupted in the original language of its revelation over fourteen centu-
ries ago. Its Prophet is loved and revered as much as he ever was. Its way of
life is faithfully adhered to by many. It is the religion of at least a fifth of the
world's population. It is an active mechanism that binds a diverse multi-ethnic
community across the world as one Umma. Saying the salam, the universal
Islamic greeting of peace, to another Muslim anywhere in the world breaks
down barriers, elicits a friendly smile, and emanates a feeling of comfort
and security. Muslims are able to break bread together in the name of Allah
(bismillah) and eat from the same platter, regardless of their ethnicity, race,
or socioeconomic background. During a recent visit to Senegal, a group of
Britons of South Asian descent, myself among them, sat alongside several
guests of various African tribes, eating couscous comfortably with our hands
from the same platter as our African host, whom we had met for the first time
only an hour earlier. A scholar of eighty-two years in Nouakchott, the capital
of Mauritania, told us that the only reason he had decided to meet us was
our faith, and that was our motivation in meeting him as well. Muslims the
world over still unite on the formula of tawhid, "There is no god but Allah,
and Muhammad is His Messenger."
Eternally binding the Umma is faith in Allah and His Prophet
. Allah
says in the Qur'an, "The believers are brothers" (Q 49:10). The stronger the
faith, the greater the bond of brotherhood. The Prophet of Allah
said, "The
believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like
one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with
sleeplessness and fever" (Bukhārī, Muslim). Thus, with faith comes compas-
sion, kindness, and sympathy. People of other faiths often find it difficult to
comprehend the love that Muslims have for their Prophet and why they care
so deeply for anything perceived as an attack against him. Anyone who so
much as glances through a biography and the teachings of the Prophet
with true objectivity should at least recognize that his character, compassion,
empathy for humanity, and complete moral rectitude make him an excep-
tional human being. For the believer, these qualities create a love of awe and
esteem, and the continual discovery of his excellent qualities deepens this
love still further.
14

Introduction
This book, by the late Indian historian and intellectual, Shaykh Abū'l-Hasan
'Alī Nadwī (may Allah be pleased with him), is a story of the ebbs and flows of
this Umma; the challenges, the setbacks, and most importantly, the successes.
It is a poignant story of the accomplishments, attainments, and triumphs that
propelled the Umma forward. It is a story told through extraordinary figures:
the revivers, men of courage, vigor, and zeal, an elect group who were graced
with divine determination to safeguard the spirit of God's religion on earth.
In other words, they were the saviours of the Islamic spirit.
Through the arduous efforts of these saviours, Islam is very much intact
and will continue to thrive, as divinely foretold. "They wish to put His light
out with their mouths. But He will perfect His light, even though the disbe-
lievers hate it" (Q 61:8). This is a clear promise of Allah that has remained
unbroken for over fourteen centuries.
Our purpose in republishing this book is to offer comfort and much-
needed perspective, given the current situation of Muslims around the
world. We aim to inspire Muslim youth and others to goodness and love of
Allah, and to provide role models of intellectual and spiritual excellence, at
a time when people are looking for motivation from other sources, such as
popular culture. Many people live in the vacuum of modern times-a low
period, in the view of many, for ethics, culture, and religion. Looking back
at the immediate past does not provide much optimism, as it appears to be
filled with despair. However, studying the history of the centuries beyond
reminds us that we are not in the direst of situations. In fact, we have con-
fronted much worse in history.
If the Aqsa Mosque is currently under siege, then in the past it was stripped
from Muslim control for nearly a century. From 1099 to 1187, it was lost to
the Crusaders, during which time thousands of Muslims were killed inside
its sacred precincts after falsely being promised refuge, an orgy of death in
which the Crusaders boasted of being knee high in blood. During this period
no call to prayer sounded from its minaret, no Qur'an recital reverberated
around its dome, no sermon embellished its pulpit, no forehead touched
down in its niche, while its walls yearned for its worshippers to return. A
golden cross was mounted atop the Dome of the Rock, which was renamed
the Templum Domini, and the Aqsa Mosque was turned into a palace. The
adjoining areas were used as royal stables.
If Baghdad has been damaged by the shock and awe of recent campaigns, it
has experienced much worse. The Tartars, after ravaging many of the Muslim
cities in Transoxiana and Khurasan, leveling them to the ground, advanced
15

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT
to commit huge massacres in the capital of the Muslim empire. Records
indicate that well over a million people were slaughtered in Baghdad alone,
and the caliph was rolled up in a carpet and beaten to death. The Muslims
of Baghdad were compelled to participate in drinking bouts during the
month of Ramadan, while wine was sprinkled in the mosques and the call
for prayer was prohibited.
During the time of Imām Suyuți (d. 911/1505), a hundred or so years before
the end of the first Islamic millennium, popular discussion focused on the end
of the world, similar to the discussions prevalent today. Imam Suyūtī wrote
a book called Al-Kashf 'an Mujawazat hadhihi al-Umma al-Alf (Treatise on
the Passage of this Umma through the Millennium) to provide optimism
and to reject the notion that the end of the world was predicted to be before
the millennium in any reliable narration. Now we live four centuries hence,
and the Day of Judgment has not yet arrived.1
Allah says, "They ask you [Prophet] about the Hour, 'When will it happen?'
Say, 'My Lord alone has knowledge of it: He alone will reveal when its time
will come, a time that is momentous in both the heavens and earth. All too
suddenly it will come upon you.' They ask you about it as if you were eager
[to find out]. Say, 'God alone has knowledge of [when it will come], though
most people do not realize it"" (7:187). Allah says, "People ask you about the
Hour. Say, 'God alone has knowledge of it.' How could you [Prophet] know?
The Hour may well be near" (33:63). He also says, "They ask you [Prophet]
about the Hour, saying, 'When will it arrive?' but how can you tell [them
that]? Its time is known only to your Lord; you are only sent to warn those
1 Imam Suyuți did predict though that the world would not endure beyond 1500 AH. However,
the same calculations he used during his time to dispel the notion of the apocalypse taking place
at the first Islamic millennium can now be used to dispel it happening at 1500 or before it too. He
states that the reason the world could not end at the first millennium was because the critical signs
prophesied to herald the last day had not yet come to pass. He quotes a number of narrations and
posits that the duration of the world is to be seven thousand years. The Messenger of Allah
came toward the end of the sixth millennium. Dajjal will emerge at the turn of a century, followed
by Prophet 'Isa , who will kill him and then remain for forty years in the world. People are then
to remain in this world for 120 years after the rising of the sun from its setting place. There will
be forty years between the two blasts of the trumpet. This amounts to two hundred years in total
that are necessary to pass before the Final Hour. He states that now only 102 years remain (as he
appears to be writing this in 898/1493) till the close of the millennium and none of these events
have yet occurred, nor have any of the other major signs such as the Mahdi or Gog and Magog. So
he asks how anyone can think the world will end at the millennium. However, he continues to say
that it will end by 1500. We are now in the year 1436, with only sixty-four years to 1500, yet none
of the major signs have occurred for us either. So according to his own method of calculation, it
will not occur at 1500 either. Allah knows best.
16

Introduction
who fear it. On the Day they see it, it will seem they lingered [in this life] an
evening [at most,] or its morning" (79:42-46).
This knowledge is exclusively for Allah and Him alone. We have no
responsibility to seek it out, and in many situations our speculation is coun-
terproductive.
Despite this fact, books, documentaries, and speeches on the impending
Armageddon are in no short supply. There are constant discussions of dreams
and visions concerning the birth of the Mahdi 4%. It is as if people have sur-
rendered hope of justice and reform prior to the coming of the Mahdi and
Prophet 'Īsa . It is as if people feel secure by postulating such theories. And
yet, many pseudo-prophesies of recent times have come to pass while the
world continues as it always has.
The Umma has gone through many such downturns when people believed
it was ripe for the emergence of Mahdi < and Prophet 'Isa to lead the
Muslims out of worldly misery. However, things always righted themselves
and hope and optimism were restored.
What is yet most concerning is that in this eschatological quagmire people
have forgotten that their death is an impending reality closer to them than
the Mahdi's emergence. We need to be cognizant of our reality and respon-
sibilities. One day we will all individually stand before our Lord to account
for our deeds, whether or not Mahdi appeared in our lifetime.
I was in my twenties when I first read Saviours of Islamic Spirit, the English
translation of Mawlānā Nadwī's Tārīkh-i Da wat wa Azīmat. It inspired me
and filled me with optimism. Most importantly, it provided a much better
perspective of world events and gave me a sense of understanding. I felt that
if I had read this book when younger, it would have substantially enhanced
my awareness of my faith, its history, and above all the incredible people who
have kept it aloft. It gave me an understanding of the hard work that service
entails. A person endowed with particular qualities such as a sound mind,
intelligence, healthy physique, and wealth but does not put them to serving
others has not thanked God for His gifts. However, I learned that true suc-
cess also requires high aspiration, exertion, and abundant prayers to Allah
for succor and strength. It inspired me to work hard and to do something
productive for my faith, to interrogate my intentions constantly, to trust in
Allah's plans for this world, and to submit to His timetable. But above all, it
17

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT
gave me the desire to be accepted for His service, as the great saviours had been.
Here, by way of example, is what I took away from the narratives in this book.
In the caliph 'Umar ibn 'Abd al-Aziz, I saw an individual who remained
unblemished from the corruption that power and wealth often bring, all
the while maintaining the trust to preserve the entire Muslim nation. His
reign of just over two years demonstrated that a nation can be transformed
if the guiding values are honesty, fairness, selflessness, and God-fearingness.
Shaykh Hasan al-Basri displayed the power of a heart attached to God and
the benefit of being nurtured in a pious household. This, coupled with a
firm grounding in sacred knowledge, eloquence, and confidence, made for
an undeniable power.
Imām Abū 'l-Hasan al-Ash arī's conversion demonstrates that hearts are
under the ultimate power of Allah and that He can still create a Moses inside
the house of Pharaoh. His life depicts how a person raised in the center of
Mu'tazilī sectarian polemics, heralded as their star debater, pivoted and dealt
a crucial blow to the very school that nurtured him. This is how Allah protects
His faith from where one would never have expected.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal was the pioneering sage whose suffering at the
hands of his inquisitors highlights the importance of upholding the truth,
even in the face of persecution. Through him, we learn that scholarship comes
with great responsibility. In this retelling of Imam Ahmad's life, the general
masses' fervent reliance on their scholars for issues of faith is highlighted.
Further, it demonstrates how Allah places love for sincere scholars in the
hearts of believers, even those of other faiths.
The most fascinating and inspiring account for me was no doubt that of
Imām Abū Hāmid al-Ghazālī. For him to have abandoned the most presti-
gious academic post in the Islamic world, rector of the Nizamiyya College
in Baghdad, purely for the sake of personal reform and attaining proximity
to Allah, uncovers the ultimate triviality of worldly fame and renown when
one is summoned by a higher calling. The selections from his autobiography,
Al-Munqidh min al-Dalal (Deliverance from Error), are especially pertinent
for this age of inquiry and self-exploration. This is a man who began his
inquiry with a mind devoid of all affiliations and belief, explored all the well-
known sciences of his day, and then concluded that the way of the mystics
was the ultimate path to the Divine and eternal salvation. Imām Ghazāli also
demonstrates the need for a scholar to be attuned to his social circumstances
and to be able to gauge the pulse of laymen to provide appropriate remedies.
His Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences) is exactly this,
18

Introduction
addressing the different levels of society with a clear way for them to connect
with their Creator. His life proves that erudition, an active mind, and a heart
burning with divine love can inspire generations to come-this despite his
being given no more than fifty-five years in this world. Age is only an excuse.
Divine enablement (tawfiq) is everything.
Following him is the great Hanbalī imam Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Jilanī,
one of the finest and most renowned mystics of all time, who arrived in the
metropolis of Baghdad after Ghazali's departure and took up the task of fill-
ing the hearts of thousands with the love of God. He had success in reviving
the pledge (bay'a) system and sending his disciples across the world to assist
thousands in spiritual improvement. His work shows that the authentic
Hanbali school is not in opposition to sufism but very much within the
orthodox tradition.
Then Baghdad produces Abū 'l-Faraj 'Abd al-Rahman Ibn al-Jawzī, with
whom I also felt strong affinity. A scholar par excellence for whom there was
no limit; he was a model of high ambition, time management, and effective
execution of goals. He had an insatiable appetite for consuming a diverse
range of sciences, with a view to be a master of all and a jack of none. He
constantly reflected on events all around, while at the same time tempering
this intellectual disposition with a love for the divine and abundant wor-
ship. I found the candid confessions and profound reflections in his Sayd
al-Khațir (Captured Thoughts) extremely beneficial. The Sayd al-Khatir
reads somewhat like a premodern collection of pithy posts on Twitter or
Facebook-though almost always with much greater substance and relevance
to posterity-and underscores the necessity of routine and discipline in
the life of any serious scholar. It reveals the challenges many scholars face,
how one works through them, and above all the necessary thought process
essential for such competency.
Subsequently, and at a point of great political turmoil amid the Crusader
assault, appears Nur al-Din Zangī and Salah al-Din al-Ayyūbī. Their story
teaches fortitude and resilience in faith, the firmness of a warrior in God's
path, and the etiquette with one's enemies, such as Salah al-Din's sending
precious ice to his foe Richard during his illness. This is in stark contrast to
the current day propaganda put out by so called jihadists, who lack any sense
of ethics and real understanding of jihad.
Moving on to the Sultan of Scholars, there has perhaps never been a
scholar more bold, more confident, and more fearless in speaking for truth
and against wrong as 'Izz al-Din Ibn Abd al-Salam. Many scholars are con-
19

SAVIOURS OF ISLAMIC SPIRIT
fronted with daunting situations and asked to provide difficult answers to
controversial questions. However, very few put their life on the line by openly
challenging rulers and the elite to remove social ills or correct wrongs. This
was the hallmark of his work.
Finally, we learn of the Tartars, who swept through Muslim lands laying
waste to everything in their path, only to end up mere decades later embracing
the very same faith they set out to annihilate. This demonstrates the power
of Islam to sweep even its archest enemies out of disbelief into faith and lead
them eventually to add to Islam's divine splendor.
This work also reveals that protocol can prove indispensable and should be
adhered to regardless of the situation. Imam Ghazali experienced a number of
political upheavals in his time. However, his response was never the hasty and
superficial solutions we are so accustomed to. He viewed things metaphysi-
cally, not politically, and provided timeless guidance accordingly. A connec-
tion with the Creator was at the center of his worldview, in which the general
masses remained steadfast in piety. A revival of such traditions is required
today; not just political activism, but a return to traditional piety, including
even such seemingly trivial things as daily prayer litanies, is essential. It was
the inner strength of peoples past that gave them endurance to overcome
famine, hunger, pestilence, internecine warfare, and ravaging attacks from
their enemies. To weather the storms of today requires prayerful recitations,
supplications, invocations of blessing on Allah's Messenger, and gatherings
of dhikr, or remembrance of Allah-practices that our predecessors attached
themselves to. Such practices provide the inner fortitude for one to withstand
many challenges and to nurture a heart illuminated by divine remembrance.
Unfortunately today, the piety of the Umma as a whole is probably not as
strong or resilient as that of the past. Therefore, it is uncertain whether we
too can withstand the current turmoil, despite it not being the worst that
we have faced. We ask Allah for strength and divine guidance. Still, this less-
than-optimistic impression is my own, as one living in the present, and may
be belied yet again by great people of Allah who will emerge in the fullness
of time. If this book should remind us of anything, it is the Qur'anic maxim
that despair ought never to be a quality of the believer.
THE AUTHOR: This introduction would not be complete without an intro-
duction to the author. The Shaykh Abu 'l-Hasan 'Alī al-Hasanī Nadwī
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